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Natural sensuality. Refined composition. Modernized shapes. These are the principles fashion designer Ron Ramos’ eponymous label was founded on, and I’m so honored to have one of his creations named after me!

I discovered Ron Ramos New York at New York Fashion Week earlier this year. In the clutter and adrenaline of seeing 24 exquisite designer presentations, Ron’s work stood out to me. A Filipino-American ready-to-wear and bridal designer based in New York City, Ron has worked under some of the most prominent names in fashion – from Oscar De La Renta to Haider Ackermann – and his brand has been featured in Vogue Italia, WWD, and Icon. 

When I saw his NYFW presentation, I was taken away by the sleek satins juxtaposed with western-inspired accessories and film-noir styling with softly curled hair and dark lips. The black and jewel-tone ensembles alternated in structured and flowing silhouettes, conveying strength and softness. The highlights for me were a series of sleek evening suits that made me think of Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking jacket, and a burgundy satin dress with a high slit that looked equally modern and regal. (See them in my NYFW roundup).

Well, being at his show was pure kismet. After writing about my favorite looks from his presentation, Ron’s team was sweet enough to reach out to offer me a dress loan for a future event. Fast forward six months – I finally circled back with Ron’s people this summer to ask for a dress sample to borrow for a fall gala, and Ron himself responded saying he wanted to make me a custom dress. I was absolutely speechless – flattered – and thrilled! 

Ron sent me sketches of what he was thinking, and we talked about fabrics and trim. We made some tweaks to the original sketch to make the dress more seasonless, I shared my measurements, and Ron got to work.

Waiting to see the final gown was like being a kid on Christmas day again, especially since FedEx was late delivering the package. But the wait was well worth it. The result is this stunning satin off-the-shoulder dress with a half peplum that fits me like a glove and perfectly reflects the modern romance and poise than Ron infuses into his craftsmanship.

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Styled with the Inez Alta pumps – read my review here or shop them here.

I’m still waiting for the perfect event to wear this to, but in the meanwhile I had a fabulous time shooting it at the Jefferson Memorial at dawn, where the white marble perfectly complemented the burgundy satin.

But the best part was yet to come – after I edited all the photos and sent one to Ron as a teaser, he proclaimed this design The Vanessa Dress and said he was going to add it to his collection! I was completely floored – it made the dress feel so special to know that not only was it designed and sewed with me in mind, that it would live on as a Ron Ramos New York original named after me.

You haven’t seen the last of this dress. Follow @ronramosnewyork on Instagram, check out his ready-to-wear pieces online, and stay tuned to see The Vanessa Dress on racks soon!

Plus follow me on Instagram @theprimpysheep for more reviews and style inspiration – and if you enjoyed this post, you might also like:

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